When someone is diagnosed as having Type II Diabetes Mellitus, the most important thing to do is to educate oneself about the disease. Proper treatment is not simply a matter of taking tablets or injections and then expecting the medicine to miraculously cure the disease. A Diabetic should aim to understand Diabetes and all the ramifications it can have, and then work according to a definite plan to control it and prevent its many complications.

The letters in the words DIABETES provide a useful mnemonic to help remind us of the most important aspects to managing this disease

What you eat and when you eat it is vital when it comes to managing Diabetes. Eating breakfast, lunch and dinner at regular times and spreading one’s food intake over the course of the day is important.

Poor selection of food contributes not only to high blood sugar and high cholesterol levels but also to being overweight and having high blood pressure. A diabetic should enjoy a variety of foods including plenty of fruits, vegetables, legumes and cereals - with lean meat and fish (or suitable vegetarian alternatives) to provide proteins. Milk products (including yoghurt and cheese, preferably of the low fat variety) are important.

The intake of saturated fat, salt and sugar should be limited. If one chooses to drink alcohol, this should be drunk in moderation - no more than two standard drinks on any one day.

If diagnosed with Diabetes, it is best to consult a dietitian for advice.

The lack of Insulin - or the inability of the body’s Insulin to work effectively - is the prime cause of Diabetes. So diabetics should help the body to make best use of its available Insulin by adhering to a sensible diet and exercising regularly to efficiently metabolize the foods that they ingest. Sometimes it may be necessary to take medications that simulate the action of insulin or increase the effectiveness of the inadequate Insulin that the body is still capable of producing. Some patients may require to take artificial Insulin - which is not available in tablet form and needs to be given by injection.

The attitude of the person who has Diabates is vital if they are to take charge of their condition and live successfully with it - instead of believing they have an incurable disease and not actively working to keep it controlled. There is no "cure" for Diabetes - but if managed properly, a diabetic can for all practical purposes live a normal life and take part in all the usual activities of daily living.

In the past it used to be thought that the most important thing diabetics should do is to keep their blood sugar under control. While maintaining blood glucose levels within the normal range IS important, it is now known that maintaining a diabetic’s Blood Pressure within the normal range is even more important than strictly controlling the blood sugar. Diabetics die, after all, not of high blood sugar per se but of heart attacks!

Anyone who has Diabetes should ensure that their blood pressure is maintained at 130/80 or less. Lifestyle changes (like losing weight and increasing physical exercise) help - as does taking meidcations to lower blood pressure.

This is probably the most important aspect of treatment for someone who has Diabetes. Regular physical exercise uses up blood glucose. If one measures one’s blood sugar level before and after, for example, a brisk walk of an hour, one would find the blood glucose level to have fallen appreciably.

At least 30 to 40 minutes of brisk physical exercise (walking, jogging, swimming, dancing, gym work etc - anything that makes one move and leaves one a bit breathless) is essential. Resistive exercises (such as lifting weights or doing push-ups and squats) are also useful to tone up the muscles and help them use up glucose more effectively.

Just as in the word Diabetes ‘E’ comes before ‘T’, so too does Exercise come before tablets when it comes to managing Diabetes. Some people in the early stages of the disease may be able to control their disease by diet and exercise alone without having to take tablets or insulin injections. It is only when lifestyle changes are inadequate to control the disease that tablets and injections need to be used.

Every diabetic should make it a point to educate himself or herself about this disease. Knowledge is Power - and having good knowledge about what this disease is, what can happen if it is not controlled, and what one can do to manage it effectively, is essential. A person who has Diabetes should know as much (if not more!) than their doctor about Diabetes!